Tips On Washington State Probate Real Estate

By Kenneth Graham


Probate is a legal process where beneficiaries get the property which was allocated to them through a will. Any debts that are owed to the government are supposed to be paid off first. If no will was left ownership will be assigned legally to any relatives who are close to the deceased. In Washington state probate real estate process needs to be clearly understood.

Before the property in question gets transferred, the legal process must be finalized. The will that the deceased leaves will list an executor who is the person with the obligation of putting the estate through probate. If a will was left by the deceased, that is what is known as a testate. In case there is no will, the judge will pick one of the family members to be the executor of that estate. That is referred to as intestate.

One of the first steps involves finding an attorney. The lawyer provides representation as the will is taken through probate. Eventually, the attorney becomes a very integral part of the entire process. Some of their roles include filing documents with the court, helping to collect money which is obtained from life insurance and helping to follow up on tax issues. It is the attorney who will be providing general advice throughout the process.

After you have found an attorney the next process is to file a petition so that the process can begin. This is usually done through a local court. Filing is usually done through a court that is local in relation to where the deceased lived. All beneficiaries and heirs need to be involved. They should have dates of the hearings. Since the hearings are public there are high chances that they will be advertised in the local newspapers.

There will be the need to take inventory of the estate. That involves gathering all useful documents. Planning documents will be needed, which include the will, advance medical directive and burial permits. Assets like bonds, stock and bank statements will be required too. The attorney will advice on all the documents which will need to be collected.

Any creditor and genuine claims must be settled. You have to recognize all companies that had loaned the deceased any money. This incorporates credit cards which have to be paid. Every one of the debts need to be paid in cash from the estate. You will likewise need to pay individual loans that the dead person had. You need to file tax returns for the deceased as well.

When all creditors and bills are paid, the court can then transfer the assets to beneficiaries legally. The duration that the probate process takes depends on the size of the estate. When a will is present the process is easier and shorter because planning will have been done and some most assets assigned to their beneficiaries.

It might be possible to avoid the this legal process sometimes. That can happen if the deceased puts all assets into revocable living trust. The trust is established when the person is alive.




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